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My Houzz: Collective Spirit in a Boho Bungalow
Ethnic textiles, vintage furniture and vignettes galore show a Dallas stylist's hunter-gatherer side at its best
Artist, freelance writer, home tour contributor for Houzz, designer, actor, mother and author of the blog La Maison Boheme. Greenman lives in a 1970s Texas ranch house, which she has transformed into a bohemian haven and family home. She loves eclectic, boho style but also has a soft spot for Midcentury modern and Swedish design. Learn more at www.sarahgreenman.com.
Artist, freelance writer, home tour contributor for Houzz, designer, actor,... More »
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Stylist and designer Paige Morse is a collector at heart. "I began collecting as a child, my first collection being antique tea sets," she says. Like Elnora Comstock in A Girl of the Limberlost, who spends her days gathering feathers, moths and twigs, these days Morse uses natural ephemera found on her property to decorate her home. Not that she stops there. Her collections range from vintage globes and artifacts to textiles and plants.
Morse's talent lies not only in collecting eclectic decor but in her innovative displays. These are housed in her 1916 bungalow, which she purchased in 2008. At that time it was in a state of serious disrepair. "Everything needed updating," she says. "I remodeled the kitchen, added a bath, stripped the painted floors and hired out for new plumbing and electrical." The house is still a work in progress, but Morse has never regretted her decision to buy a century-old home. And even with work to be done, the classic architecture of the bungalow is the perfect backdrop for her dramatic vignettes. "I call it curating my house," says Morse.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Paige Morse, dog Maize and cat Miles
Size: 1,450 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Location: Bishop Arts District, Dallas
Morse's talent lies not only in collecting eclectic decor but in her innovative displays. These are housed in her 1916 bungalow, which she purchased in 2008. At that time it was in a state of serious disrepair. "Everything needed updating," she says. "I remodeled the kitchen, added a bath, stripped the painted floors and hired out for new plumbing and electrical." The house is still a work in progress, but Morse has never regretted her decision to buy a century-old home. And even with work to be done, the classic architecture of the bungalow is the perfect backdrop for her dramatic vignettes. "I call it curating my house," says Morse.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Paige Morse, dog Maize and cat Miles
Size: 1,450 square feet; 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Location: Bishop Arts District, Dallas
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by Sarah Greenman
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| Morse's living room is a traditional parlor, filled with lots of seating and plenty of conversation starters. A wide coffee table displays a constantly shifting array of props, books and pottery. "I am always looking for inexpensive ways to reimagine my space," Morse says. The sofa, a family hand-me down, is draped in a $14 drop cloth from Home Depot and a woven blanket. She says, "If I can't eat a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on it, then it's too nice for me." Coffee table: Square Parquet-Top, Wisteria |
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Morse's extensive collection of vintage globes is displayed throughout the house, including in the living room. The globe pictured here belonged to her great-grandmother. Vintage accent chairs, which can easily be rearranged to provide additional seating when guests arrive, and two pieces of stacked luggage complete the vignette.
Paint: Timberwolf, Benjamin Moore
Paint: Timberwolf, Benjamin Moore
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| Morse is also passionate about woven textiles and bold patterns. "I like to keep the permanent fixtures, like walls and floors, neutral so that I can change up the floating fixtures, like furniture and accent decor," she says. Her eye for mixing colors and patterns is obvious in the coverings on the couch and loveseat. Black and white settee: Wisteria |
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Elsewhere in the space, a generously sized yellow silk wedding cloth is used as backdrop for a console styled with driftwood, clay sculptures and bird feathers. Morse feels that a home should be not only comfortable but also inspiring to its inhabitants. "I'm an editor by nature, and I love being surrounded by beautiful things," she says.
Console: Wisteria
Console: Wisteria
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| In the midst of the color, patterns and materials (note the porcelain stool tucked under the coffee table), burlap curtain panels suspended by rings above the sofas and a matching sisal area rug add a soothing neutral tone. Morse refers to this room as the jewel box of her home. |
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| Two twin beds occupy the guest room. "I call it the bunk room," says Morse, who frequently houses friends and family for holiday celebrations. This welcoming space also highlights her signature mix of color and an innovative use of furniture pieces. Kantha cloths are thrown over the base of each bed, and woven ottomans serve as seating or extra table space. Paint: Designer White, Benjamin Moore |
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| The framed poster above this bed is something Morse picked up for $2 while traveling in Granada, Spain. Its colors are a perfect match for the rest of the space. Morse has been obsessed with design since she was in elementary school and says, "I would draw a map of my bedroom, cut out paper furniture to scale and plan the space." |
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| A spectacular suzani acts as a headboard for a guest bed covered in bright throw pillows. Natural light, an ample bookcase and cozy reading nooks complete the guest quarters. Suzani: Again & Again; shelving: Ikea |
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A vintage aqua box serves as both a side table and a cool accent in a brightly colored room. A Japanese welcoming cat figurine, known as a Maneki-neko, perches on the table as a sign for guests to make themselves comfortable.
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| In the master bedroom, large seascape art found at a neighborhood garage sale hangs above Morse's brightly colored bed. Coral, pink and orange bedsheets pop in the room's otherwise neutral color palette. |
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| The dining room is a feast for all the senses, highlighted by large insect prints presiding over the room. The dining table, which once belonged to Morse's grandmother, has been refurbished and painted black. "I love using family heirlooms, but I'm not afraid to give them an update," says Morse. Vintage chairs are paired with luggage, thrift-shop cosmetic cases and an antique portable record player. Morse, a seasoned hunter-gatherer, likes to shop at Mantiques in the Oak Cliff area of Dallas and Curiosities in the Lakewood neighborhood. Paint: Timberwolf, Benjamin Moore |
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The sideboard is covered with aging artifacts, vintage board games, postcards, bones and stones. All objects are lovingly displayed and painstakingly organized.
Morse says, "I'm from the 'more is more' school of thought. But you have to be careful so it doesn't feel junky." She laughs and admits her tendency toward obsessive behavior: "If someone moves something even a centimeter, I know it immediately."
Morse says, "I'm from the 'more is more' school of thought. But you have to be careful so it doesn't feel junky." She laughs and admits her tendency toward obsessive behavior: "If someone moves something even a centimeter, I know it immediately."
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| One of the many home improvement projects Morse undertook when she bought the house in 2008 was an overhaul of the kitchen. She removed a wall to open up the kitchen and dining space and created a bar. |
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| Her kitchen was inspired by her grandmother and stays true to the home's period with white subway tile and black trim. She relocated the stove and stitched up a skirt for the empty space. She also installed shelving where the hood had been. A large sink with a wall-mounted faucet also pays homage to her grandma's kitchen. |
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Another major renovation to the house was the guest bath. A walk-in shower and vintage pedestal sink found on Craigslist inhabit what was once a closet. Here, too, her style sense is seen in the elaborate black and white mosaic mirror that matches the tile below.
Paint: Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore
Paint: Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore
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Morse transformed the mudroom walls with dramatic black chalkboard paint and added displays, both on the chest and hanging overhead. She says, "I love creating little hanging art installations, and these vintage paper airplanes were too cool to pass up." French doors lead out to the backyard.
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A wooden sculpture of the Hindu deity Ganesha sits atop a worn antique dresser along with paper flowers, vintage jars and other interesting bric-a-brac. "I am interested in objects and the story they tell when placed with other objects," she says.
Dresser: White Elephant Antiques in Dallas
Dresser: White Elephant Antiques in Dallas
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Morse fell in love with bungalow style, which usually features pocket doors, architectural details and original hardwood floors. "Maintaining this old house has been a lot of work, but I wouldn't have it any other way," she says.
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| As enchanting as the interior is, one of the major selling points of the house was outdoors, in the form of a substantial front porch. "This is where most of my friends congregate when they come to visit," Morse says. She has made the porch even more inviting with sturdy wicker furniture, an overhead ceiling fan and a porch swing. |
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| Morse uses her banister rail as a showplace for vintage lanterns, ferns, rocks, succulents and other treasures found in her yard. "I'm always unearthing objects from previous owners: old toys, coins, bones, tools, hardware, keys — you name it," she says. Rather than toss them, she's apt to include them in her decor. |
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| Miles the cat enjoys stretching out on the beadboard porch under a wicker rocking chair. Morse has styled the corners of her porch with watering cans and fruit crates filled with greenery. |
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| Even her front yard is a collection. It is inspired by French cottage garden style, yet Morse plants only Texas natives. She jokingly coined the term "Texafrance" to describe this style of gardening. She says she is never more at home than when working in her garden and looking for butterflies. |
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Homeowner and design entrepreneur Paige Morse with her dog, Maize. Her advice to other homeowners: "I don't think you should move into a home and immediately decorate. Let your home speak to you for a bit before making any big design choices."
See more photos of this house | Share your creative home with us
See more photos of this house | Share your creative home with us
Ideabook published on Nov. 14, 2012.
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